Red velvet cupcake

A yummilicious pretty cake!

Previously I had reservations on baking red velvet cake as I thought alot of colouring went in there. However that changed after I had a very good RVC and when I saw The Sunday Times' Life Style section featuring a red velvet chiffon cake recipe just last week, I was very tempted to try it. Too much colouring once in a while should be ok, isn't it? I also used the cream cheese recipe from Jane and it's finger-licking good ;) All my guinea pigs gave 2-thumbs up for this cake and the cream, I guess it's a keeper!

Red velvet cake
(yields about 21 cupcakes)

Ingredients/ Method: 

2 tbsp cocoa powder
70g hot water
40g milk
50g unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 tsp red colouring powder (or 1 1/2 tsp red colouring paste)
90g cake flour
5 egg yolks

5 egg whites
100g caster sugar (reduced from 110g)

1. Dissolve the cocoa powder in hot water. 
2. In a small pot over low heat, warm the milk, butter, salt and cocoa mixture to about 60 deg or until the butter melts completely. 
3. Add the vanilla extract and red colouring powder. Stir and mix well. Remove from heat. 
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and cocoa mixture and whisk thoroughly. 
5. Add egg yolks one at a time whilst whisking the mixture. Set aside. 
6. Whisk egg whites in a mixing bowl. When they turn foamy, add sugar teaspoon by teaspoon. Whisk till stiff peak.
7. Fold in 1/3 egg white to the red velvet batter using a spatula. When the mixture is just combined, add another 1/3 egg whites and repeat until all egg whites are incorporated. 
8. Using ice-cream scoop, fill up cupcake liners upto 3/4 full.
9. Bake at pre-heated oven at 170 deg C for 20-25 mins. 

P.s. Original recipe is for 20 cm chiffon cake. Bake at 170 deg C for 10 mins before reducing temperature to 150 deg C for another 35 mins.

Cream cheese frosting
(recipe reference from Jane, and adapted from Martha Stewart) 

125g cream cheese
85g unsalted butter, softened
35g icing sugar, sieved
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
2. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar in three batches, then add vanilla and mix till smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.)

The cake is good served chilled. 

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (August 2014 Event: Flour) - organised by Bake for Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Diana from the Domestic Goddess Wannabe.